This is the end of an era.
Netflix is phasing out deliveries of small red envelopes containing DVDs, with the last of them set to arrive on Sept. 29 after 25 years of sending DVDs to subscribers by mail.
After decades of shipments, the streaming giant announced what people can do with DVDs that they never return: Keep them for free.
“We will not charge for any unreturned discs after September 29th. DVD Enjoy the final delivery,” Netflix posted on its X account on Monday. ”
The practice of delivering DVDs directly to people’s homes helped Netflix make a name for itself a few years ago as consumers stopped going to brick-and-mortar stores like Blockbuster to buy movies or TV shows.
“These iconic red envelopes changed the way people watch shows and movies at home and paved the way for the shift to streaming. From the beginning, our members have loved the choice and control that direct-to-consumer entertainment offers : a wide variety of titles and the ability to binge-watch entire episodes,” Netflix said in an April press release.
According to DVD Netflix’s X Account, Netflix DVD lovers will get a final promotional offer before the shipping program officially ends, allowing subscribers to claim up to 10 free random DVDs mailed to their homes.
Ted Sarandos, Netflix CEO, said: “We are honored to be able to enjoy such a long movie night with our DVD members and are very proud of what our employees have accomplished, and excited to continue entertaining fans for decades to come,” the company’s press release regarding the end of the program in April.
“To everyone who has added a DVD to the queue or waited by the mailbox for a red packet to arrive: thank you.”
